Diving travel experiences...need help/advice

[NAVY21]

So me and some friends are trying to put a good diving vacation together for spring break, but even though we are throwing the usual places around, we have no idea of where to stay and things like does that place include diving, etc... Has anyone had any good experiences? Where have you been and where did you stay haha--something all inclusive where we show up and dive/drink/party all with the same resort would be awesome. Pretty much we are looking for something good, cheap, lots of diving and an abundance of women...let me know...

Thanks!

Drew

 

[Damselfish]

All inclusives have a reputation for not offering such great diving, or lots of dives. Unless it's an all inclusive option at a dive resort which for (hopefully) obvious reasons tend to go easy on the drinking and partying thing...

 

[reefseal]

Navy,

If it's diving your interested, Bonaire is a good destination for a dive till you drop. Accomodations can be had on the cheap. There are places like Blue Divers Bonaire that will rent a studio room w/ kitchen for $69 pp (double occupancy) that includes unlimited air fills and a pick up truck. Bonaire is shore divers capital of world with walls, double reefs, wreck's all as shore dives. Not inclusive thing but awesome diving. Air fares from boston range in $6-700 range unfortunately. I used airline miles to get there week of April 1st.

I would suspect the all inclusive resorts cater to newbies where they will limit your bottom time or push you onto cattle car for boats.

Good link on Bonaire - http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=125215

 

[Rafael]

I just came back from Nassau, and it was really fun, i dove with stuart cove's, the operation is pretty good, then at night we went to senor frogs, as you know you can't go wrong in that place, senor frogs is fun all over the world, and if you go say hello to Azael from me he is a very nice guy.

If you book your dives with Stuar Cove's on line is cheaper than if do it there, and is lots of all inclusive places.

Now, i'm from Cancun, if you want to go there you know is fun and the diving is just incredible, as you know since the hurricane Wilma, cancun is been rebuilding, so is not operating 100%, but you may want to try, Cozumel or the Riviera Maya which were not as damage as Cancun was, and price wise is very cheap right now to find an all inclusive down there, since they need to bring the people back to those places.

Another option, no as cheap but is a trip you have to do at least one in your life is Guadalupe Island of the coast of Baja California Mexico, you can do some white shark diving there as well as manta ray, this rays can be as big as 27', i will be there in March if possible.

If you have any questions please let me know, i will be more than happy to help you.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I hear Cancune is very economical and nice. There is also an area near the sea of cortex I just saw on a documentary thats also nice.

 

[thesassyrabbit]

All-inclusives will not be your cheapest choice up front, but if you like to drink, they will be in the long run. I tend not to do all-inclusives as much b/c I don't eat or drink my $$ worth, however, on the other hand, most all-inclusives will offer all the shore diving you want to do while you're there (which is how you can get a lot of diving in... some people don't love shore diving since it's not at a "site", but my experience is that there are often cool things to see on shore dives - in Cozumel in particular, I've seen more octopus, squid, and other creatures on shore dives than on boat dives!)

A few of the all-inclusives I've really liked are Anthony's Key in Roatan, Cobalt Coast - Grand Cayman, Divi Tiara (Cayman Brac) , Fiesta Premier (Gulf of Papagayo - Costa Rica), and Fiesta Americana (Cozumel).

Check the info. carefully - not all all-inclusives include alcohol, or they limit it only to certain types; some include only breakfast; some include only breakfast and dinner. If you want a three meal plan and it's not part of the original package price, ask if you can upgrade to that. I'm assuming that as guys, you will get your money's worth!

Have fun!

 

[scubastew]

also check out the thread on "Looking for 'short jaunt' advice" from last week

I recently got back from Grand Bahama Island and can recommend staying at the Bell Channel Inn of Port Lucaya, Freeport, dive boat in channel directly behind the hotel, maybe 40 feet from the room's balcony. Rental gear in a small building out front of the hotel. Not 5-star accommidations but decent for the 80 bucks a night (2peeps). And you can easily walk (15 minutes), cab-it (5 minutes) or take the $1 shuttle to the resturants and nite life. Also can walk to a nice golf course and can rent clubs there. Good people and service at the hotel with decent food and bar as well.

costs each person for Airfare & Hotel was just over $500 for five nites. flew Airtran out of logan (with one transfer/connecting flight in DWI). Two dives were just around $60 off the charter boat, golf was 80 bucks with club rental.

ALSO: I have not been but heard Roatan was a great place to dive (so I'd second thesassyrabbit's nod)

 

[LobstaMan]

I've been out of the dive travel circuit for a few years, but from 1995 to 1999, my wife and I traveled to the Caribbean once a year -- Coz, St. John/St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Paradise island, Puerto Rico. For cheap, I'd recommend Coz. Outstanding, inexpensive, and experienced dive operators right at or next to most hotels. Most enjoyable diving I've ever had. I wouldn't bother w/ all-inclusives as beverages and food are cheap in town which is very short cab ride away. Hotels are more expensive. US$ goes a long way in Mexico, but nite life was somewhat limited(as compared to Cancun).

The Saints were all more expensive, but still not insane. At the time, St. Lucia seemed to cater to non-American vacationers -- met folks from Scotland, Germany, Canada and South Africa. Lucia was also a little rough around the edges. St. John zero nitelife due to Nat'l Park. St. Thomas is a little spread out - we rented a car.

PR -- did too much drinking and not enough diving

PI -- nitelife is centered around the Atlantis complex, diving was convenient and varied(wrecks, sharks and a few hole dives), very safe, gambling, eating etc.

My info may be somewhat dated, but things probably haven't changed too much. Hopefully, it will help you out. Have fun and if you go to Mexico have a few of the grande margaritas for me.

LobstaMan